This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Mobile platforms such as vehicles typically include one or more airbags that work in conjunction with one another and with other safety systems to absorb or otherwise dissipate energy associated with an impact event away from occupants of the mobile platform. For example, a mobile platform such as a vehicle may incorporate one or more front airbags mounted in a steering wheel or instrument panel of the vehicle that absorb energy associated with a front-impact event. Likewise, a vehicle may additionally incorporate a side airbag in a door, pillar and/or seat assembly of the vehicle in an effort to absorb energy associated with a side-impact event.
While conventional airbags adequately protect vehicle occupants, integration of the various airbags into a vehicle is often challenging. For example, locating a side airbag within a vehicle seat typically requires the size of the seat to be increased in order to accommodate the side airbag along with other structural and functional components of the vehicle seat. Likewise, positioning a side airbag within a vehicle door often increases the size of the door, as the airbag must be positioned away from other components of the door (i.e., window glass, door latch, etc.) to permit proper operation of each component.
Mounting a side airbag in a vehicle door or in a pillar of a vehicle also requires the airbag to be relatively large to allow the airbag to span the distance from the particular location of the airbag (i.e., vehicle door and/or pillar) to an occupant of the vehicle. The increased size of the airbag likewise results in an increase in the size of an inflator associated with the airbag, thereby increasing the overall cost and size of the assembly. Further, the increase in size of both the airbag and inflator further complicates packaging of the airbag and inflator within the vehicle, as more space is required within the door, pillar, and/or seat to accommodate the assembly.
Finally, installing an individual side airbag in a vehicle seat, a vehicle door, and/or a vehicle pillar requires each airbag to be installed separately from other restraint systems of the vehicle and from one another and, thus, requires each individual airbag to have its own structure that allows for such installation (i.e., mounting brackets, trim, etc.). As such, installation of side airbags typically increases the overall cost and complexity associated with manufacturing each individual airbag and, as a result, increases the cost and complexity associated with manufacturing the vehicle.